South West England sees highest public EV charging costs at 33.3p per kWh

Volta Charge Points data shows motorists in the South West of England pay up to 33.3p per kWh for public EV charging, 1.8p per kWh more than the cheapest UK region. The price difference translates to roughly £50 extra annually for drivers covering 10,000 miles. Volta attributes the higher costs to fewer chargers and a more dispersed population compared to urban areas.

Why it matters: Regional pricing disparities of 1.8p per kWh highlight the commercial challenge of serving rural and lower density markets, where infrastructure costs per charger are higher. CPOs planning network expansion must weigh utilisation rates and deployment density against tariff competitiveness to maintain margins in less urban regions.